Secrets, Lies, and TellTale Signs
by NCISBONESgirl
Summary: When Alexis discovers a problem between her dad and Beckett, she makes it her job to fix it - With murder, mayhem, and a little mystery along the way. She can do it, after all, she's a Castle. Alexis centered, with quite a bit of Caskett. T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**Yes, I'm back. Trying to stay away from FF turned out worse than I thought. Go figure. **

**On that note, my first Castle story! I recently got really into the series, and this idea pushed me back into writing. **

**This one is set in no particular time-period, and is attached to no current story lines. **

**Synopsis: When Alexis discovers a problem with her dad and Beckett, she makes it her mission to fix it - with murder, mayhem, and a little bit of mystery along the way. She can do it, after all, she is a Castle. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle! Only the idea is mine. **_

**And now, enjoy. **

Alexis stretched and yawned, blinking in the morning sun. She swung her legs off the bed and padded downstairs and into the kitchen to find her father making breakfast. She plopped herself on a barstool.

Her father turned from his cooking. "Morning Pumpkin."

Alexis smiled brightly at him. "Morning Dad." She craned her neck to see what was on the stove. "Is that turkey bacon?"

The elder Castle chuckled. "The one and only." He replied putting some on a plate along with other various breakfast items and handing it to her.

"Thanks!" She chirped and took a bite of toast. "Wait." She said, furrowing her eyebrows at him, "It's Thursday."

Castle arched an eyebrow. "Is there something significant about that statement?"

Alexis pointed an accusatory finger at her dad. "You usually meet Detective Beckett for breakfast on Thursdays."

Castle feigned hurt. "What?" He asked, placing a hand over his heart. "A father can't stay home to cook breakfast for his daughter?"

Alexis cast him a skeptical look. "You do that every morning."

"Maybe I needed one more."

"Okay." Alexis nodded. "What's the real reason?"

He grimaced. "Beckett and I had a bit of a…falling out."

Alexis leaned back a bit from the table and sat down her fork, making a tiny clatter on the plate, as if to punctuate her disbelief. "You're kidding."

Castle sighed. "If only."

The redhead's blue eyes narrowed. "Dad…" she said slowly. "What did you do?"

He flicked off the stovetop and propped himself up on his elbows off of the countertop, facing his daughter. "I may have overstepped my boundaries a bit on a case and…well, I mean, you could hardly call it yelling…"

Alexis shook her head. "And now she's not speaking to you?"

Castle shook his head. "She told me I was a, and this is an exact quote, 'an inexperienced, over-confident, word-jockey'."

"Ouch." Alexis said. "That's gotta hurt."

"Mmm." Castle agreed. "She was…pretty angry with me."

"Just for that?" Alexis queried.

His facial expression shifted to defense. "Beckett just doesn't like to be told that she's wrong. It's my fault, really."

"But, Dad." Alexis said sounding slightly on the verge of an epiphany. "You've overstepped your boundaries dozens of times. And she never gets this mad."

Her father considered this. "True…but she's been tense lately…"

"How long is lately?" She asked.

Castle considered this for a moment. "Couple days."

"Suddenly?"

He nodded.

Alexis smiled slightly and leaned forward. "There's something else wrong." She said, picking up her fork again and taking another bite of her breakfast.

Now Castle furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Alexis leaned forward on her elbows and peered up at her dad with wise eyes. "If a woman snaps at you for something isn't usually a big deal, there's something else that's wrong."

Castle thought a moment for then smiled at her. "Anyone ever tell you you're pretty smart for an 18 year old?"

"All the time." Alexis said, smiling jokingly.

He ruffled her hair and pulled out his phone, pressing a speed-dial key. He stood a moment, and then looked perplexed. He pressed another button, and waited a second time. Finally, he flipped his phone shut and set it on the counter. "No answer."

Alexis shrugged. "Maybe she needs space."

**Another chapter may be up later today. Stay tuned. **

**Reviews make my day(:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! Hasn't even been an hour and this is already Favorited? Thanks! **

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, but I do love writing stories. **_

**Enjoy!**

Later that day, after practicing her violin in her room, Alexis descended the stairs once again to check on her father (who had been moping all day after breakfast). Halfway down the steps she heard a knock at their apartment door.

"I got it!" Came her father's voice. Her father appeared from the couch, and opened the door. "Beckett!" he said brightly, opening the door wider for her to come in.

Not wanting to distract, Alexis dashed back up the steps and stood behind the wall at the beginning of the steps, listening.

"Can I get you anything?" She heard her father asked. She peered between a large potted plant and the wall in order to see.

Beckett stood facing Castle. "This isn't a social call, Castle. It's a business one."

Castle looked slightly surprised. "All right…what is it?"

Beckett opened her mouth slightly, and then closed it again.

His eyes widened apprehensively. "Well?"

Beckett took a breath, and it seemed to Alexis that she was preparing herself for something she didn't want to do. "You don't need to come into work tomorrow." She said finally. It was almost a whisper, but cold and calculating.

Ever the optimist, the smile on Castle's face only slid a fraction of an inch. "Why? Are we going rogue? What happened? What are we do-"

"Castle our partnership has been terminated." Beckett interrupted, stronger this time.

Now the smile fell all the way from his face. "By who?"

Beckett kept her face emotionless. "By me."

Hurt added to the disbelief on his face. "What?" He asked quietly. "Why would you do that? Things were great."

"Were." She said sharply. "Things change, Castle. Get used to it."

From the look on his face, Alexis guessed her father's heart must have just plummeted. "They don't have to."

Beckett nodded. "Yeah, they do." She locked eyes with him before continuing. "I can't have you shadowing me anymore. It's distracting."

"_Distracting?_" Castle asked. "It's been three years and you're just figuring out it's _distracting?_"

"You seem to have a problem hearing. Might want to get that checked out." She snapped.

Castle said nothing for a moment, and then laughed. "I get it." He said. "I get it! This is because I thought I knew what I was doing. Listen, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Gag's over."

"This isn't a gag." She said.

Castle studied the woman in front of him. "Alexis told me that there was something else that was wrong if you were this mad about that."

Beckett nodded. "Alexis is a smart girl."

Castle nodded.

"…but she's wrong."

Behind the pot, Alexis's mouth went agape.

"You can't get rid of me." Castle tried. "I'm certified by the mayor."

"I talked to him." Beckett said. "Turns out, he had no idea that you were still working with the NYPD after _Heat Wave_. He said it was up to me, and I elected to remove the thorn from my side."

Alexis glared at Beckett, well aware that she couldn't see her. Who was this woman to insult her dad like that?

Castle stayed quiet for a long time. "We're partners." He said smiling weakly. "We catch criminals together. We're a good team. We're friends. Why would you want to ruin that?"

Wordlessly, Beckett walked past him and to the door.

"Kate!" Castle yelled, sounding desperate.

She stopped with her hand on the doorknob and turned to face him. "Yes?"

"I need you." He almost whispered.

Beckett only hesitated a moment, letting his words hang in silence before saying. "Goodbye, Mr. Castle." And slipping out the door.

Alexis almost forgot how to breathe. _Oh, yeah. _She thought. _There's definitely a problem._

_-  
><em>**Ouch. Want to know what Beckett's deal is? Stay tuned. **

_**Review, review, review! (:** _


	3. Chapter 3

**WOW. The first day after I posted the first two chapters I got 30 emails within a 6 hour period. You guys ROCK! I really appreciate all the love I've been getting on this story, and I hope you continue to love it.(: **

_**Disclaimer: I still don't own Castle. **_

**_And now for a little pre-season finale drama. _**

* * *

><p>Later that day, Beckett sat alone at her desk, attempting to finish the report on her and Castle's latest case.<p>

She tried not to think. She tried to put all of her feelings aside, and focus on her task.

But every time she had to write his name, that concentration was broken.

She sighed and closed the file, giving up for the moment. She ran a hand through her hair, and was struck by the silence. It was too bland now. Too different, like all the sunshine had been sucked from the world, and only left Beckett with the clouds. Feeling a headache coming on, she put her head in her hands, and rubbed her temples in tiny circles.

"Yo, Beckett." A voice cut through the silence.

She lifted her head to find Esposito and Ryan grinning at her. "What?"

"Where's your shadow?" Esposito asked. "We've ah, we've got something he might be interested in." he said, nudging Ryan.

"Castle won't be coming back." Beckett said, cutting through the duo's sniggering. She pushed away from the desk, walking briskly away from them and into the break room, thinking that maybe coffee could temporarily solve the problem.

Ryan and Esposito exchanged a glance, and then walked after her, hot on her tail. "What do you mean Castle's not coming back?" Ryan asked.

"Just that." Beckett replied, grabbing a mug. "I didn't want him following me anymore." She cast a look at the fancy espresso machine, and decided she didn't want coffee after all.

"Why?" Ryan asked.

Beckett all but slammed her mug down. "He was a distraction." She said, reciting what she had memorized as her excuse. "He was around here all the time, playing detective, and messing with actual murders just to occupy his time. It's a wonder we ever got anything done."

Esposito gave her a skeptical look. "Have you gone nuts? We couldn't have solved some of these cases _without _Castle."

"We're _detectives._" Beckett said sharply. "It's what we do. We had a high solvency rate before Castle, and we'll have it after."

Esposito stayed silent for a while. "But what's it going to do to you?"

Beckett could have answered his question a million different ways. But _I just ripped my own heart out _sounded too true, and _sorry guys, I'll be cold for a while_ sounded too nonchalant. Instead, she looked at her feet momentarily, and then said, "I'm going to go get a cup of coffee. Be back in fifteen." Before walking out.

Ryan eyed the espresso machine. "She does know we still have a coffee maker here?"

"Nah, man." Esposito shook his head. "That's Castle coffee."

Ryan gave a small chuckle. "What do you think the real reason is?" he asked, getting himself come of the aforementioned drink.

"For what?" Esposito asked. "Castle getting kicked out?"

Ryan nodded.

"I don't know…" he said slowly. "But I don't think it has anything to do with what Beckett said."

Ryan raised his eyebrows in agreement, and took a sip.

Beckett had barely walked in the coffee shop door before she spotted a bright, bubbly redhead in the corner with some of her friends.

_Alexis._

Alexis looked up momentarily from laughing with her friends, and locked eyes with the detective from across the room, and felt the smile slide from her face.

Beckett watched the girl say something to her friends, and stand up and start to walk towards her.

Alexis weaved through the crowd, trying to keep herself in check. She didn't think she had ever been this _angry_ before. But, true to form, she remained calm as she approached Beckett. "Detective Beckett." She greeted.

Beckett forced a smile. "Hello, Alexis."

It was only then that Alexis realized she didn't really know what she was doing. "What was that earlier?" She blurted.

"When?" Beckett asked, doing her best to minimize the situation.

"When you cut my dad into pieces?" Alexis felt tears start to well up in her eyes. "When you called him a pain, and acted like you never cared about him?"

Beckett took a deep breath. She hadn't expected to have to deal with Alexis too. "Alexis, I'm sorry. I understand why you blame me, and I know what you must think of me but-"

"Hah!" Alexis cut her off. "You know what I think of you? If you knew what I thought of you, you wouldn't have the nerve to sit here and tell me that you're sorry!" she said fiercely.

"This is bigger than this, Alexis." Beckett tried to explain. "I have my reasons for everything I did."

"Did you mean it?" Alexis asked quietly.

"I'm sorry?"

"Did you mean it?" She repeated, putting space between every word.

Beckett hesitated. "Yes."

Before she even knew what she was doing, Alexis's hand had reached out and slapped Beckett across the face.

Stunned, Beckett put a hand to her cheek, and stared at the teen in front of her.

Tears rolled down Alexis's face as she walked back to her table, grabbed her bag, and returned to Beckett. "_No one_ does that to my dad." She said before storming out of the little shop.

* * *

><p><strong>Well? What do you think? Did Alexis overreact? Will Beckett ever reveal her intentions? Stay tuned. (:<strong>

_**Reviews are amazing. Plain and simple. **_


	4. Chapter 4

**Another chapter! Once again, thanks for all the amazing reviews. They keep me going. I really love hearing your opinions! **

**Here's another one. (: **

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Castle. If I did, it would be a year-round show. _**

**Btw, my feelings on the season finale = mind. blown. **

**Be looking for a What Happens After fic from me in the very near future!**

* * *

><p>By the time Alexis had reached her house, she was calm again and the guilt was starting to set in.<p>

She knew she shouldn't have meddled, knew she probably shouldn't have reacted the way she did…and yet…

She wasn't sorry. It was her _dad_, and her dad hadn't done a thing to deserve what Beckett did.

Sighing, Alexis dropped her books off in her room, and then went to find her father. "Dad?" She called through a seemingly empty house. She stopped and listened, and heard nothing.

Slowly, she moved through the house, straining to hear any movement. "Dad?" She tried again.

This time, a slightly muffled voice responded, "In here!" from behind a door.

Alexis frowned. He was in his study…but she hadn't heard any typing. _Uh-oh._ She thought, walking towards the door. Lightly she turned the knob and peeked inside.

"Hey." Castle said, forcing a mini-smile.

"Hey." Alexis said, smiling at him sweetly. She walked further into the study. "What are you doing?"

"Contemplating ways to kill off Nikki Heat." He replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Alexis caught the hurt in her dad's eyes. "You okay?"

Castle gave another shrug, and gave another attempt at a smile. "I will be."

Alexis looked worriedly at him.

"Come here." Castle said, waving her over.

Alexis made her way through the study and sat down on her dad's lap. "I worry about you, Dad." She said, laying her head on his shoulder.

Castle gave a chuckle. "You do realize it should be me saying that, don't you?'

"We're just cooler than everyone else." She replied with a nudge.

Castle laughed again and hugged her.

Alexis stayed silent for a while, and then sighed.

"Something wrong?"

Alexis straightened herself, supporting herself by putting her arms around her dad's neck. "I ran into her at the coffee shop…"

Castle looked confused. "Who?"

Alexis gave him a look.

"Right." Castle said, his expression dimming. "Beckett."

Alexis nodded, and there was another brief pause.

"And?" Castle prompted.

"And…I may have slapped her." Alexis grimaced.

"Y-you, wha-?" Castle stammered. "Let me get this straight. You, Alexis Elizabeth Castle, _slapped_ Detective Katherine Marie Beckett?"

Alexis nodded. "In the face." She added quietly, preparing to get in trouble.

To her surprise, Castle started laughing. Loudly.

Only later would she realize that his reaction shouldn't have shocked her at all.

"No! Stop laughing!" Alexis commanded.

Castle stifled his laughter behind a barely disguised grin.

Alexis lowered her voice. "I assaulted a police officer!"

Castle laughed again, unable to help himself. The sight of his so-old-in-many-ways daughter before him, claiming to have assaulted an officer, made him laugh. "This isn't going to be another one of those things where you ground yourself is it?"

Alexis looked at him almost sheepishly. "I should be punished."

"Trust me, if Beckett was really offended she would have arrested you." He hesitated. "But she wouldn't do that to you anyway."

She simply shrugged. "She deserved it."

Castle smiled genuinely at her. "Still feel like you need punishment?"

She twisted up her mouth. "Not so much."

He studied Alexis for a moment. "Why did you do it?"

She was afraid he was going to ask that. Alexis considered how to put it. "Because she hurt you." She said, looking at her hands. "And you're my dad, and that's not okay…especially not in the way she did it." She gave a short, humorless laugh. "And…" she said, looking at him again. "You weren't the only one she hurt."

Castle looked at her quizzically. "Care to elaborate."

"I don't know." Alexis said, looking back at her hands. "I just kinda felt like we all went nice together, you know? You, grandma, Detective Beckett and me. Like we were a…" she trailed off.

"A family?" Castle supplied.

"Yeah." Alexis said, nodding. "A family." She smiled sadly.

He looked sympathetically at her.

She shook her head. "This all sounds so juvenile."

"You _are_ a juvenile." He reminded her.

Alexis laughed shortly, and then fell silent once more. "She didn't just walk out on you." She said quietly.

"I know." Castle said. "She left all of us, and I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" She asked.

"Because I'm the one who brought her around. I'm the one who was shadowing her, I'm the one who chose to write a book about her." Castle motioned around the room.

"Dad it's not your fault." Alexis comforted him. "She was cool until she went psycho."

Her dad shook his head. "What am I going to do now?"

"Hmmm…" Alexis thought. "Write about a certain British spy?"

Castle's face brightened. "I could call Gina and see if the spots' still open…" he mused.

Alexis smiled.

"Up, up, up." He patted her back to get her to get up. When she did, he picked up the phone and she began to walk to the door. "From here on out, you're my new writing inspiration." He said with a laugh.

Alexis left feeling pleased with herself. Who needed Beckett anyway?

Not them, she decided.

* * *

><p><strong>I really love writing Alexis and Castle. (: They're so sweet. <strong>

**Plus, I'm pretty 100% that Alexis is my favorite character. **

**Anyway, not much drama in this one, just a daughter cheering up her father. But it's set up for the rest, not just a filler. Promise! **

_**Review = smile. And honestly, who doesn't love smiles?**_

**Btw, this was all written a few days ago, and never got uploaded to the story by accident. Sorry!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I know I kinda got off track with story because _Grief _stole all my attention, but I'm going to get back on track. (: **

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. If I did, I'd probably have stolen the loft by now. Not sure how, mind you. But I would have. _**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Beckett sat at her desk once more, trying to finish up the last of the last report. It should have been simple, but once more, it was proving to be far too difficult.<p>

Esposito and Ryan walked in just as she was moving Castle's usual chair back to it's original spot, figuring that if the hole he left wasn't so visible, it would go away.

The boys stood at the entrance, Esposito raising his eyebrows while Ryan furrowed his quizzically.

Beckett looked at the duo, and stayed halfway standing over the chair in its new spot, frozen to the spot. "I was just…" she began, then stood straight and composed herself, saying nothing else, but returning to her desk.

The pair's eyebrow expressions swapped, and Esposito stayed staring at Beckett as Ryan frowned at the chair and said "So you were serious then?"

"Serious about what?" Beckett asked, taking out another file to work on.

"When you said Castle was leaving." Esposito supplied.

"Yupp." Beckett said, not taking her eyes off the report, doing her very best to act like a hardass.

"But…" Ryan started, and then exchanged a look with Esposito, at a loss for words.

"Castle's gone for good." Beckett said. "Get used to it."

They stood awkwardly in the doorframe for a few more moments.

Finally, Beckett looked up at them. "Hey, will you do me a favor?" She asked.

Esposito looked at Ryan, who simply shrugged. If Beckett wanted Castle out, fine. Their first loyalty was to her. "Yeah, sure. What?" Esposito asked.

Beckett outstretched a hand, holding a file.

Esposito walked forward and took it, flipping through it. "A bunch of addresses?"

Beckett nodded. "I need you to run down all of them and ask them how they know an Anthony Marsh."

"What case is this for?" Ryan asked, reading over Esposito's shoulder.

"An old one." Beckett said, waving a hand. "Nothing huge but it needs to get done."

Esposito smiled and closed it with a soft _pop_ of the paperboard hitting the other side. "We'll take care of it."

Ryan nodded his agreement.

"Great, thanks." Beckett said, then went back to her computer,

A half an hour later, Esposito and Ryan were in their squad car, headed to the 9th address on the list.

Ryan rattled off the address as Esposito drove.

Esposito nodded slowly. "That on the other side of town?"

"Uh, yeah." Ryan said, glancing at the address sheet again. "Some loft building." He shrugged.

They traveled in silence for a few moments before Ryan said "Bet you 20 bucks she won't make it a month without Castle." He smirked.

"I don't know man, Beckett's pretty tough." He said. "And stubborn."

"True." Ryan said. "But she's never normal about Castle."

Esposito chuckled. "You know what? You're on."

When they got there, Esposito parked, and Ryan peered up at the building through the windshield.

"Isn't this…?" He asked, looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah." Esposito said, nodding. "I wouldn't worry about it though, do you know how many people live in this building?"

"Yeah…" Ryan trailed off. "Yeah. No, you're right." He said, worry ebbing off of his face.

"C'mon." Esposito said, getting out of the car.

The duo made their way through the lobby, stopping to ask for the floor number, then taking the elevator to the designated floor. After finding the right hallway, Esposito and Ryan strolled down it, searching for the right number.

Locating the right door, Esposito reached out and knocked on it, putting on the cop face.

That face broke into confusion when he saw who answered the door. "_Castle?_" He asked incredulously.

Beside him, Ryan's eyes widened.

"Hey fellas!" Castle greeted enthusiastically, face breaking into a wide grin. "What're you doing here?"

Esposito grabbed the address file from Ryan's hands and double-checked the address. "We must have gotten the wrong address." He said, chuckling.

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, sorry. Anyway, how you been?"

"Eh." Castle said. "Better. You know." He shrugged.

Esposito and Ryan nodded knowingly.

Castle hesitated. "How is she?" He asked.

Esposito and Ryan exchanged yet another glance.

"She's alright I guess." Ryan said with a shrug.

"Kinda hard to tell with her." Esposito added.

Castle nodded solemnly, the grin slipping from his face. "Anyway," He recovered. "What do you have there?" He asked, eyeing the file.

"Just some old addresses Beckett wanted us to run down for some report." Esposito said.

"Yeah." Ryan said. "But…it's different around the precinct now."

Now it was Esposito's turn to nod his agreement. "Yeah…" he said looking down. He paused. "It's quiet." He said, and he and Ryan dissolved into laughter.

"Oh, ha ha." Castle said, trying to look stern, but his eyes reflected his amusement.

Esposito tried to compose himself. "Hey, listen man, we gotta get going."

"Yeah, but if you ever want to grab a beer or something let us know." Ryan said.

Castle shook his head. "I will. See ya."

Esposito and Ryan sobered up completely by the time they reached the elevator, and looked almost scared by the time they reached the car.

They got in their respective sides, then sat there for a few moments, not moving.

"Hey, bro?" Esposito asked after a while.

"Yeah?"

"You know that wasn't the wrong address, right?" Esposito looked at him.

"Yeah." Ryan nodded, taking a deep breath. "I noticed."

* * *

><p><strong>Did I ever mention how much I love writing Ryan and Esposito? They're fun. (: <strong>

**Did I do them justice? What do you think is going to happen next? **

**Review for a happy author! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Trying to keep this story updated since the mistake before. Still sorry about that, you guys.**

**And I know it doesn't seem as Alexis centered as I said it would be, but bear with me, folks. It's coming! **

**I got a few questions about the case, so let me answer all of them right here: it's a new case. It's one created in my mind for this fic, so don't sweat not being able to remember it! (: **

_**Disclaimer: If I owned Castle, I would probably be a billionaire. Since I'm not, I don't. **_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Esposito slapped the folder on Beckett's desk, making her look up, startled. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off. "What the hell is this?" He asked, jabbing a finger on the file.<p>

"I told you what it was." Beckett said, furrowing her eyebrows. "Why? What did it turn up?"

Ryan stood a few feet behind Esposito. He watched with a concerned expression, prepared to jump in.

"It led us to a familiar little loft on the other side of town." Esposito said, dripping with sarcasm. "One you know better than the rest of us."

A siren went off in Beckett's brain, and she tried to keep it off her face. "Who's would that be?" She asked, almost daring them to say it.

"It led us to Castle's place." Ryan said.

Beckett tried to muster up surprise, but couldn't. So instead she nodded and said "Thank you." grabbed the file, and went back to work.

Ryan looked from her to Esposito and back again. "That's it?" He asked, clearly shocked. "We tell you that your 'old case'," he hooked air quotes around the words, "just turned up the address of the guy you just kicked out of here and that's all you can say?" Both men stared incredulously at her.

"I'll handle it." Beckett said, not looking away from the computer screen.

Esposito leaned on her desk with his elbows and lowered his voice. "Look, whatever Castle's into, we can help. You don't have to do this alone."

Ryan nodded. "We're on your side." He reminded her in that same low voice."

"He's not _in_ anything." Beckett said, her voice a bit too sharp and a bit too defensive. "And this isn't why I ended it."

The duo looked at her, silent and a bit startled.

"I can take care of it." Beckett said, her face back to the cool, emotionless mask she had perfected.

Ryan looked at Esposito a, who shrugged, as if to say, "There's nothing more we can do right now."

The pair had just sat down at their desks when Beckett ripped a file from her drawer, pulled out her phone, and walked briskly to the elevator, dialing a number.

"Woman on a mission." Ryan remarked.

"Yeah." Esposito agreed. "I just wish we knew what that was."

* * *

><p>Castle closed the door, still smiling, and walked back into his house.<p>

"Who was that?" Alexis asked from the couch.

"Esposito and Ryan." He said. "Guess they were running addresses for some case for Beckett and knocked on the wrong door." He shrugged.

"That's odd." Alexis said.

"Yeah, I guess."

"I wouldn't have pictured them as the Devil's henchman." Alexis said simply, going back to her book.

Castle tried for a smile, but failed.

"Oh, come on." Alexis said, setting her book down once more. "You're not really going to defend her, are you?"

Castle looked at her sheepishly.

Alexis laughed in disbelief. "Seriously? She broke your heart!"

"I'm a big kid, Alexis. I can handle it." He said.

"That doesn't mean you have to defend her!" She said, gaping at her father. "You're too nice, Dad."

He smirked. "That means a lot, coming from you."

"You're also depressed." When the elder Castle said nothing, she took it as a sign to continue. "You've been moping around your study drinking scotch, rereading old Nikki Heat books, and looking at pictures. Plus, I don't think you've been to sleep since it happened."

Castle looked away from his daughter's concerned face.

She stood and wrapped him in a hug. "I'm worried about you."

"Is that why you're so mad at her?" He asked, gently smoothing her hair.

She nodded. "No one does that to my dad." She echoed the very words that she had told Beckett.

"I appreciate the concern." He told her softly. "But don't let yourself get twisted by hate when it's my battle."

Alexis sighed, and then stayed silent for a while. "You know what's the worst part?" she asked finally.

"Hmm?"

"That I feel _bad_ about being mad at her." She said.

Castle chuckled. "That's because you're a good person. Now off to bed, it's a school night."

Alexis fought back a yawn. "Alright, night Dad. I love you." She said, giving Castle a final squeeze before beginning the walk to her room.

"Love you too." He said, then, once Alexis was safely in her room, he let the smile fall from his face once more.

She was right, of course. He was depressed. He knew that. He also knew that it was far, far worse than she could have imagined.

He missed her so much it almost physically hurt. Maybe the worst part was that this wasn't something he could just _fix._ She had totally blindsided him, and he had no idea what he did. He couldn't even go see her to apologize.

All he knew was that Detective Katherine Beckett hated him, and there was nothing he could do.

And it was killing him.

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><p><strong>I feel like this one is really short, and I'm sorry about that! <strong>

**At any rate, review? Pretty please? **


	7. Chapter 7

**I think now would be a good time for a nice, enthusiastic "Bam, said the lady!" **

**(: **

_**Disclaimer: Sadly, I still have yet to own Castle. Or even A_ castle. Quite sad, really. _**_

**This one's a bit longer to make up for the shortness of the last chapter. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Beckett walked through the halls of the high school, her boots making authoritative clicks on the linoleum floors. Her gaze was focused on the man next to her, who was quite round and quite flustered.<p>

"No." He was saying. "No!"

"Sir, I understand that it's a bit of an inconvenience but-"

"Bit of an inconvenience?" He echoed. "It's more than that! This is one of New York City's finest academies. The students who go here – their parents, rather – value their privacy!"

Beckett suppressed a grand eye roll. "I understand that. However, we're one of New York City's finest _police departments_, and our evidence points us to here."

The man looked shocked, as if he hadn't heard her the first three times she had said that. "What? No. No, no. There simply must be a mistake." He chuckled nervously.

Beckett tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "With all due respect, sir, if you continue to deny us access and you keep looking as guilty as you do right now I'll have no choice but to take you in for questioning, and look at you as a suspect. You wouldn't want that, would you?"

He opened his mouth to say something when a shrill scream resounded from the girl's bathroom directly ahead of them.

Beckett's eyes widened and she took off at a run, pulling out her gun and entering the large bathroom. "Hello?" She called. "NYPD."

"O-over here." A trembling voice came from the back of the bathroom.

Beckett ran in that direction gun still up. In the farthest corner, she found the source of the voice.

A pale, redheaded teen stood in front of a bathroom stall, bright blue eyes welling with tears, her hands covering her mouth.

"Alexis?" Beckett asked. "Alexis, what is it?"

Alexis simply pointed, incapable of speech.

Beckett looked in the direction of Alexis's trembling finger into the stall.

A body lay there, slumped up against the toilet, bloody and bruised.

Beckett surveyed it for a moment, then turned back to Alexis, putting an arm around her and guiding her gently out of the bathroom. "It's okay." She said soothingly. "We'll take care of it.

In that moment, Alexis had forgotten all her anger at Beckett. She turned to look at her. "S-she was dead." She said in a whisper.

Beckett nodded. "I know. Come on, let's get you some air."

Alexis's mouth stayed agape as Beckett sat her down outside the bathroom.

"Just stay here, okay? You're going to be fine." Beckett ordered.

Alexis nodded almost imperceptibly.

Beckett pulled out her phone and made a call to Lanie, to dispatch, and to Ryan and Esposito, and then looked up to see the plump principal from before gaping in the direction of the bathroom, looking pallid, with 30 or so students clustered around him.

She waved her hand. "Go to class!" She said, emphasizing each word. "Go!"

The mob grumbled, then slowly broke apart.

Leaving the principal.

"Sir, maybe you should sit down too." Beckett suggested.

He nodded, and sat down on the opposing side of the hallway.

As crime scene personnel began arriving, Beckett crouched down next to Alexis. "You okay?" She asked softly.

Alexis shook her head "no".

Beckett frowned. "I'm sorry you had to see that." She said sincerely.

"She was my friend." Alexis whispered. "I can't believe it."

"Were you close?" Beckett asked.

Alexis shrugged. "I guess. I mean, we didn't hang out or anything because she was into some stuff but…I liked her, you know?" She said with a small smile. "She was a good person."

"What was she into?" Beckett probed gently. "Do you know?"

"Drugs." Alexis answered. "She got mixed up in it at a party. She said some guy got her hooked on it on accident."

Beckett nodded, not surprised.

"It's not the same, you know?" Alexis asked.

"What isn't the same?"

"Seeing it. A body." Alexis clarified. "I mean, you see it in shows and movies and pictures but…the real deal is…"

"Yeah." Beckett said, glancing at the floor. "I know." She stayed silent for a beat and then said. "Why don't you let me get you a cup of coffee and then I'll take you home, alright?" She stood and held out her hand.

Alexis nodded and accepted the help up.

"Esposito!" Beckett called.

"Yo?" He asked, coming out of the bathroom.

"I'm going to take Alexis home." Beckett said. "You guys can handle this, right?"

"Yeah, sure thing." He said, looking serious.

"I want everything you find in a report with photos, okay?"

Esposito nodded. "Will do." He looked at Alexis. "Take care." He added.

* * *

><p>10 minutes later, Beckett and Alexis were seated at the very same coffee bar they were at a few days ago, sipping their drinks in silence.<p>

"Can I ask you something?" Alexis asked.

"Shoot." Beckett said.

"Why were you at my school?'

Beckett looked at her hands briefly before looking at Alexis again. "That's a long story."

"I have time." Alexis said simply, sounding more and more like herself. "Dad's not expecting me home until 2. And its only…" she checked her watch. "12:36. I have time."

Beckett sighed. "I was following a lead on a case."

"Gee, that's descriptive." Alexis said sarcastically.

Beckett smiled slightly. "That's all I can tell you. It's an ongoing investigation."

"So?" Alexis asked like it was no big deal. "My dad tells me stuff all the time."

"Does he now?" Beckett sat back in her chair.

"No?" Alexis smiled sheepishly.

"Fine." Beckett shook her head. "I got involved in a case a few weeks ago. A few homicides had been connected to this particular drug ring, and since they were all my cases, they decided to involve me. Two of the members of this particular ring were from your school."

Alexis nodded slowly. "Okay…one more question…why do you hate my dad?"

"I don't hate your dad, Alexis." Beckett said earnestly. "I could never _hate_ your dad."

"Then why did you say all that? You said you meant it." Alexis said, a touch of anger back on her delicate features.

Beckett sighed heavily. "Listen. This case was mine only. Which meant it was only a matter of time before Cas-" She stopped herself. "_Your dad_ wanted in on it. I was doing my best to keep it from him when, low and behold, your school pops up. I couldn't risk him finding out." She shrugged. "If I know anything about him, it's that he would do anything to protect you. I didn't want him going into a frenzy trying to do that and getting himself or someone else hurt, and blowing the case wide open."

Alexis's face had softened. "You did it to protect him."

Beckett nodded. "Not the best solution, but it had to be done." She leaned forward on the table with her elbows. "Alexis…I'm going to need you to do me a favor."

"Sure." She said, nodding quickly. "Anything."

"I'm going to need you to not tell your dad about this. He _cannot know_. He could ruin everything." Beckett told her.

Alexis looked away. "I don't like keeping secrets from him."

"I know." Beckett said. "But trust me when I say I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't absolutely necessary. He could get seriously hurt on this one. He finds a way to get into trouble on normal cases; groups of dealers and users don't play around. They don't care that he's an author or a father or someone that someone loves. If he pokes his nose around in this case, and goes rogue like I know he will, _they will kill him._"

Alexis nodded once somberly. "Okay." She agreed quietly.

"Okay." Beckett said. She waited a moment before saying. "I would love to stay here with you, but I have to get back. I have a job to do. Let's get you home."

The pair didn't speak again until they reached the floor of the Castle loft.

"Detective?" Alexis asked as they reached her door and she knocked.

Beckett looked at her as the door swung open.

"Kate?" Castle asked.

"Thanks for taking care of me today. And, you know, for telling me all that." Alexis smiled at the older woman.

Beckett smiled a bit too. "It's not a problem." She said.

"Kate?" Castle repeated, certain he was invisible.

"I'll see you later. Call if you need anything at all, alright?" Beckett said, beginning to walk away.

"Yeah, I will, thanks." Alexis said. "Hey, Dad." She chirped ducking inside.

Castle stood there with the door still open. "Was that…?"

"Yepp!" Alexis said brightly, bounding up the stairs to her room. "Gonna work on homework!"

Castle remained where he was standing, hearing Alexis's bedroom door shut loudly. "Great." He said to himself. "Now I am _completely_ in the dark." He said before closing the door.

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><p><strong>Soooo? Whaddya think? Huh? Tell me in a review! (: <strong>

**Btw, thanks to ALL who are reading this story. I'm loving that you guys are loving it. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, so, I know I haven't updated in a while and I'm sorry! I have the next chapter down on paper already, and it should be up tomorrow, so hopefully that makes up for it. **

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.**_

**Enjoy(:**

* * *

><p>The following morning, Alexis awoke from dreams of betrayal and lies. She frowned and curled deeper into her pillow and under her covers, feeling quite sick.<p>

It had been less than 24 hours, and the guilt was killing her.

She hated doing this to her dad. There he was, trying to heal, trying to pick himself up off of the floor and march on, and she was pouring salt in the wound. Flaunting the very person that had hurt him in front of his face.

But she couldn't stay mad at Beckett. She may not have completely agreed with her methods, but her reasons for doing them were admirable. She knew Beckett cared about her dad still, and she knew Beckett knew too.

Alexis sighed heavily and rolled onto her back, spread eagle. She stared at the ceiling and let her thoughts run in circles.

_If they still cared about each other, and Detective Beckett didn't really hate him, then there shouldn't be a problem, right?_

_Except, she needs him to think that she hates him so that she can finish the case. I don't want my dad to die either…_

_Then after the case is over? Then there won't be a problem. Dad can go back to shadowing Detective Beckett and everything will be okay. _

_But these cases take a really long time, don't they? It seems like they do in all the papers. Months, sometimes years. _

_What if Dad is over her by then? What happens then? What if he doesn't want to talk to her again? _

_Well, that would be okay, wouldn't it? It's not like I have to talk to Detective Beckett. She would just be a phase. _

…_but I don't want that. Do I want them to be together? Maybe. I mean, if two people love each other – and they totally do – then they should be together, right? _

This carried on for about an hour until a knock at the door shook her from her thoughts.

"Come in."

The knob turned and Castle poked his head in. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Alexis fibbed. "Fine, why?"

"Well, you're usually up by now." Castle explained, coming all the way into the room. "Are you sick?"

"Nope." Alexis said simply, not trusting her mouth's ability to keep a secret.

Castle furrowed his eyebrows and stayed silent for a bit, watching his daughter avoid eye contact at all possible costs. "Can I talk to you?" he asked finally.

Alexis nodded, even though her head was screaming the exact opposite. She knew this would come up eventually, she had just kinda hoped that it was later rather than sooner.

"What were you doing with Beckett yesterday?"

"She was just giving me a ride. I was walking because I somehow let my subway card run down to zero, so she picked me up. And I was tired, so I said yes." Alexis nodded some. "She's probably trying to make up for the whole slapping thing." She added.

"And your school let out at noon yesterday?" Castle inquired.

"Yeah." Alexis said as if this was obvious, and he was an idiot for ignoring such. "We talked about it, remember? We got out early because the teachers were having some big conference."

Castle looked surprised. "We did?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah." Alexis said, eyes wide, still looking at her dad as if he were an alien.

"Seriously?"

Alexis nodded more. "Seriously."

"Huh…I could have sworn they didn't do those until October…" Castle trailed off.

"They're doing two a year now. Budgeting and meeting test standards and all that. Anyways, Dad, I really need to get ready for school…" She swung her legs off the bed and hopped up, beginning to walk into her bathroom.

"Right…yeah, sure, school…" Castle mumbled, still dazed, his brain occupied with trying to figure out how he forgot something like that. He got up, and walked from the room, shaking his head.

As soon as the door was safely shut behind him, Alexis let out all the air she was holding in her lungs in one long heavy stream. She leaned her head forward against the wall and tried to swallow her guilt. At least what she had done had taken care of her dad for the day. She knew he would spend at least 20 minutes trying to recall the imaginary moment, which would give her enough time to get out the door without him asking too many questions.

One of her friends from school had texted her in all caps (with a few dozen exclamation points) at about 5 that morning alerting her to the fact that school had been canceled for the day.

Alexis figured her friend would be less exuberant if she knew that the reason she didn't have class was on account of a homicide.

Still, she quickly dressed, grabbed her book bag, and set off downstairs. "Bye, Dad." She chirped, walking behind the couch to kiss her dad on his cheek before setting off.

Castle looked at her, confused. "What, no breakfast?"

"Can't. Running late." She explained, hand already on the doorknob. "I'll grab something at school if I have time."

"Oh, wait." Castle said, standing up. "Let me give you my card so that you can get a cab or something."

"Oh, it's fine." She said, waving a hand. "I have my subway card. Love you, bye!" she then ducked out the door, shutting it quickly behind her and setting off in her direction with determination.

"Then why…then why did Beckett have to drive you yesterday?" Castle questioned the door. "Explain that. Will someone please explain that?"

* * *

><p>A short time later, Alexis arrived at the 12th. She strode through the lobby and to the elevators, earning a few strange looks from officers in the process. After all, it wasn't everyday that 18-year-old girls simply showed up, looking like they knew where they were going, and weren't in any immediate trouble.<p>

When she arrived on homicide's floor, she hesitated. Maybe she was being rash. Maybe she should just leave it, and let them work it out on their own.

_No._ She thought firmly. _You've gotta do this one._

She took a deep breath and walked up to Beckett's desk, standing in front of it, looking determined.

Beckett looked up at her. "Alexis." She sounded surprised. "Hi. What can I do for you?"

"Let me help." Alexis said quickly.

Beckett had a sinking feeling she knew where this was going. "Excuse me?"

"With the case!" She clarified. "I want to help you."

"Oh, no." Beckett put her head in her hands.

"Just think about it!" Alexis urged, pulling up a chair in front of her desk. "I know the school. I know the people there. _And_ I can tell you anything you want! Nothing held back, no cover-ups, nothing. I'm your all access pass!" She bounced a bit to punctuate the last statement.

"You sound just like your father, you know that?" Beckett commented, rubbing small circles on her temples.

"Is that a yes?" Alexis asked hopefully.

"Absolutely not." Beckett lifted her head. "No way. I would never let you put yourself in that kind of danger."

"Come on, please?" She begged. "I'll behave, I swear."

"It's not your behavior I'm worried about." Beckett said, standing and beginning to make her way out of the room.

"It's either this or I tell my dad everything!" Alexis rushed out, a bit loud to grab Beckett's attention.

She stopped at the doorway, and turned to look in disbelief at the teen sitting in front of her desk. "Are you threatening to _blackmail_ me?"

"I've learned a few things from my dad."

Beckett shook her head. "How do you know I didn't lie to you? How do you know that I didn't make all that up to get you out of my hair?"

"Because it was way too intricate. Only my dad can do that." Alexis fired back.

"Yeah, well, I've learned a few things from him too." Beckett molded her perfect mask back over your face. "I lied to you, Alexis. There was never any case. I just got sick of dealing with your dad, so I ended it."

"That's not true." Alexis said, smiling ever so slightly.

"Believe what you want." Beckett said, beginning to walk out again.

"Fine, I'll just stay here and observe."

Beckett froze once more.

"I'll listen in on conversations, offer up unasked for advice, read files that aren't even remotely related to this case in any way shape or form and just be a general pain."

Beckett turned slowly once more to stare at Alexis.

Then Beckett saw Alexis do something that scared her.

Alexis did the eyebrow twitch.

The exact one her father had done when he decided he was going to shadow her.

_This is going to be one long case._ Beckett thought.

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><p><strong>Review?<strong>

**3**


	9. Chapter 9

**First of all, I'm so sorry this took so long to get posted! My life got kinda crazy there for a while. But, I'm here now! So that counts. **

**If anyone wants music to accompany the chapter, I listened to "Cold as You" by Taylor Swift (crazy, but it sounds great from Castle's perspective), "Unwell" by Matchbox 20 up until Beckett leaves, then "Fix It" by Psapp for the rest of it. Also, do you guys like when I post music to go along with it? Let me know.**

**And for my readers who follow "Grief" as well, I'm super sorry that that one's slow too. I've already rewritten in 4 times, so a 5th is kinda mocking me. It'll be up soon! Promise. **

**And to my readers who are HP fans as well...they used "Always." I almost died. (: **

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, Harry Potter, Taylor Swift, Matchbox 20, Psapp, or any of thier songs. **_

**So without further ado...**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>It had been five days when one afternoon a few hours after Alexis had left Castle strode into the 12th and stood in front of Beckett's desk, looking hurt and angry.<p>

Beckett looked up at him, surprised and confused. "Castle? What are you – "

"Doing?" He interrupted coldly. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look." Castle said strongly. "I don't know what I did to make you hate me so much, but whatever it is, I'm sorry, alright? My bad. If you would tell me, I would fix it, but until then you have no right to launch World War three!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Beckett stated, her voice rising slightly in volume in response to feeling attacked.

"Yes you do!" Castle barked. "Don't try to sit there and tell me that you don't! I'm talking about Alexis! After you mysteriously dropped her off the other day, she's barely said a word to me. She leaves from school and acts like she just met me, and comes home from school and goes straight to her room. I don't know what you've done to my daughter, but it's going to stop!"

"I haven't done anything to her, Castle." Beckett lied calmly. The last thing she wanted was for Alexis to get in trouble. "I haven't seen Alexis since that day."

Castle shook his head slowly. "Why are you trying to turn my daughter against me?"

"I'm not." Beckett shrugged casually.

"What you're doing isn't fair!" Castle was louder and angrier than she had ever seen him. "Not to me, and especially not to Alexis! You know what, you can do whatever you want to me, alright? I don't care. But don't you_ dare_ bring my daughter into this!" He turned and started to walk away.

Beckett sighed and shook her head.

Castle stopped and turned back around. "One more thing." He said walking back up to her. "You are easily the coldest person I've ever met." He wasn't yelling anymore, but his facial expression and his new tone cut straight through Beckett. "I loved you _so much_...and for the life of me I thought you felt the same way. Wishful thinking, maybe. I got my act together for you. Started spending more time here than at signing parties. Why? Because I couldn't stand to be away from you. You were like…like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. I didn't want to stop staring until I was blind again. I would have done anything for you." He shook his head.

Beckett stared up at him, speechless.

"Then you did this. And I don't want to play these sick little mind games with you, Kate! If this is what it's going to be like then you win. I forfeit." He chuckled coldly. "And hey, at least you get a great story out of the deal, right? Get to tell everyone in the precinct about how you suckered me in. Got me to get close to you, then just left me out on the streets? Maybe you're quite the storyteller yourself. You're certainly quite the liar."

Beckett opened her mouth to speak, but Castle spoke first.

"I've spent the last two weeks switching between trying to drink you away, thinking about you, and just being generally depressed." He took a few steps forward until he was able to lean forward on the desk. "And I'm done. With all of it. So, just do me a favor. If I don't get to be in your life, stay the hell out of mine." And with that, he stormed out.

Beckett let out a shaking breath and put her head in her hands, feeling the rest of the department (especially Ryan and Esposito) staring at her.

_At least he's safe._ She thought. _At least he'll live the rest of his life in safety._

* * *

><p>The next morning it took all of Beckett's strength to pull herself out of bed.<p>

She felt…numb. She sailed through her routine, thoroughly unable to shake Castle from her thoughts and perfectly removed from everything.

It wasn't that she regretted her decision – regret was such a strong word – as much as she was just _sorry._ Sorry that she couldn't explain, sorry that he hated her, sorry that she had to keep up the act so that he didn't get hurt. She was sorry for so much. For all of it.

She was also something else. Sad in a way that she felt like breaking down and crying, but for some reason her body wouldn't let her stop. It was almost as if her legs kept moving, her hands kept doing, and her voice kept sounding all on their own.

She got her coffee and drove to the station, one thought repeatedly running through her mind.

She had successfully alienated the one person she had ever felt something real for.

When she walked into the precinct, Alexis was seated at her usual spot in front of Beckett's desk. "You look…"

"Don't say it." Beckett told her, sitting down at her desk and rubbing her hands over her face.

"I was going to say pretty." Alexis smiled at her and put her hands up in surrender. "I like that top."

Beckett looked down at it, having not bothered to look at whatever it was that she had thrown on. She looked back at Alexis skeptically. "It's inside out."

Alexis did her best to look innocent. "I didn't notice. You can't tell."

Beckett sighed and rubbed a hand over her tired face once more. She grabbed her coffee and brought it to her lips before looking quite annoyed and knocking it into the trash with a hit and putting her head in her hands, letting out a calming breath.

Alexis watched for a moment before quietly asking, "What happened?"

Beckett lifted her head and began logging onto her computer. "Nothing."

"You can tell me, Beckett." Alexis said sincerely.

Beckett looked at her, unsure as to how much she should reveal. Finally, she decided she had nothing to lose. "Your dad happened."

Alexis furrowed her brow. "Why? What'd he do?"

"He showed up here a couple of hours after you left yesterday and yelled at me." She shook her head. "He accused me of turning you against him, called me the coldest person he had ever met, told me he had loved me, called me a liar, then told me to stay out of his life."

_Oh no. _"What?" Alexis whispered in disbelief.

Beckett stood and grabbed a case file, beginning to walk away. "Why don't you go home, Alexis?" She stated more than suggested.

Alexis scrambled out of her chair and trotted after Beckett, hot on her heels. "Why would I do that?"

Beckett stopped outside of the file room door and looked at her seriously. "Because I don't want to hurt him or you or break the Castle household more than I already have."

Alexis crossed her arms and leaned against the wall by the door. This wasn't good at all. Her plan was doing the exact opposite of what she had intended. It wasn't complicated. She helped solve the case so that Beckett and her dad could reunite. Easy. Except she never factored in her dad snapping…

It wasn't like her dad to do something like that. Which meant he must still love her, right? People who don't care about each other don't fight like that.

She sighed and leaned her head back until the top of her head touched the wall behind her. This was going to be harder than she thought. Now she had to convince her dad that he still loved Beckett, while maintaining her – gosh this was so fun to say – _cover_, and practically torture Beckett by continuously reminding her of how much she missed her dad.

"Uh-oh. Baby Castle's thinking." Esposito's voice broke through her trance.

Alexis lifted her head to see Ryan and Esposito walking down the hall toward her, Esposito grinning, Ryan smirking.

"Furrowed brow and all. Must be serious." Ryan remarked.

Alexis couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, it kinda is."

Esposito and Ryan exchanged interested looks.

"Oh, really?" Esposito asked. "Care to share?'

Just then a thought occurred to Alexis. "That depends…can you keep a secret?"

Now Ryan furrowed his brow. "From who?'

"Beckett."

An uneasy look came over both men's faces.

"I don't know…" Ryan trailed off.

"I do." Esposito stated. "Can't do it. Sorry Baby Castle, but we're with Beckett all the way. Don't doubt it for a second."

Ryan nodded his agreement, and the duo began to walk away.

"It's to help her, not hurt her." Alexis called after them.

They stopped and turned.

Alexis glanced back at the file room door to make sure Beckett wasn't coming out, and then walked quickly to Esposito and Ryan. "Just hear me out, alright? I'm going to need your guys' help."

Esposito looked at Ryan, who shrugged, and then folded his arms. "We're listening."

"It's a plan." Alexis told them. When neither one objected, she continued. "I'm going to get my dad and Beckett back together."

"Good luck with that." Ryan said skeptically. "Beckett hates him, and he hates her."

"By that logic I wouldn't be here right now because Beckett would hate me by extension."

Neither man had a response for that.

"Can we take this discussion somewhere more private?" Alexis asked.

Esposito looked slightly amused and gestured in front of them. He led them to a small windowless conference room, and they each took a seat at a round table in the middle of the room. Esposito folded his hands on top of the table. "Speak."

"Well, first of all, Beckett definitely doesn't hate my dad. It's the opposite." Alexis began.

"She told us herself." Ryan said. "She said she got tired of him."

"That's her cover story!" Alexis said, bouncing slightly, her whole face lit up with excitement. "Her super secret case? The one that lead you guys to my house? It has do with my school. And apparently these guys are super dangerous, so she kicked my dad out because she knows that my dad would do anything to protect me and she didn't want him going rogue and getting hurt or killed!" When they said nothing she continued. "Don't you see? She loves him too much to even think about him not being here anymore, much less her have been able to prevent it. It's sweet!"

Esposito leaned forward on his elbows. "Did Beckett actually tell you all that?"

"Yes!" She nodded emphatically.

"So your plan is…?" Ryan asked.

She briefly explained her tasks at hand.

Esposito and Ryan shared yet another look.

"Alright, we're in." Esposito said.

"What do you want us to do?"

"I need you guys to bring up my dad around Beckett. A lot. Funny memories, inserting what he would have done in certain situations, quoting him – whatever." Alexis told them. "You have to make sure that he's almost constantly on her mind, and that she misses him."

Ryan nodded. "We can do that."

"Also, I need you guys to take my dad out to a bar or something. Start out casual – he'll figure out if you guys are up to something really quickly if you're not careful – but gradually lead the conversation to Beckett. Talk to him about her, and if you can, get him to remember all the good things about her and how much he cares about her." She locked eyes with each of them. "That's crucial for this to work. Almost more so than Beckett's half."

Esposito leaned back. "Done and done."

"You can count on us." Ryan added.

"Thanks guys." Alexis beamed at them. "I knew I could."

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><p><strong>Review? Please? <strong>

**I love you all. (: Thank you so much for reading. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm so sorry for the huge gap! I've come up with a new schedule so that you all should get a new chapter once a week. Thanks for sticking with me. **

**This chapter is more about how Castle and Beckett are each handling the separation. More plot advancement in the next chapter.**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or ABC. _**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>When Beckett got home the next day, she barely had the strength to stand upright.<p>

It had been one of _those_ days. The kind that make you want to go home, curl up into a ball, and try to remember why you're even alive. Nothing had dropped on the case, and no new cases had rolled in, leaving her to sit, and pace, and stare at the case file and the murder board until her vision swam and her head pounded.

Not to mention that all day long, her team had been talking about _him._

It was bad enough that she felt her heart lurch and her stomach churn every time she thought about him or heard his name, but now they had to spend the whole damned day reminiscing? How was that fair?

Beckett dragged herself into the kitchen and began to grab a bottle of wine, and then thought otherwise. She knew alcohol wasn't what she really wanted. Wasn't what would fix this problem. It wouldn't even help. So instead, she sat down, right there, in the middle of her kitchen, losing the battle with her legs to remain standing.

She felt so drained. So completely lifeless and devoid of energy. But not tired. No, she didn't want to sleep. She only wanted…well, she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted. It seemed her brain was trying to shut off too.

She sprawled out on the floor, exhausted, and stared up at the ceiling.

She was empty. There was nothing left inside her anymore, just a huge gaping hole that he had left when she ripped him out of her life. She felt a kind of pain that was not new to her. Not by any stretch of the imagination. It was the kind of pain that made you want to sob hysterically and never stop, and laugh until you couldn't breathe all at the same time.

It was the pain of missing someone.

It was the pain of missing her mother, of wishing she was closer to her father, of missing the person she used to be a long, long time ago, and now…

It was also the pain of missing Richard Castle.

Everything Beckett did reminded her of him. She couldn't go a full minute without him crossing her mind.

He popped into her mind when she sat down at her desk.

When she got a cup of coffee.

When she got into her squad car.

When she picked up a book.

When she got into the bathtub.

When her phone rang.

When she saw Alexis.

When she saw Esposito and Ryan.

When she ate.

When she drank.

When she _slept._

He was everywhere. Even in the most unlikely or mundane places.

Castle had completely infiltrated her oh-so-perfect life, and torn it to pieces. And while a part of her hated him for it, and wished she had never met him…the majority of her just missed him. Missed her Rick, and wanted him to come back.

_You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone._

Now, Beckett longed for the days when he stuck his nose in her business and pulled her pigtails. Too late, she realized that somehow, she had gotten to the point where she couldn't live without him. Not really. Not truly.

Because for as much as trouble as he caused, and as many fresh wounds as he opened, Castle had healed her. He had single handedly taken a the broken shell of a woman, and breathed life into her again. Convinced her once more that it was okay to feel. Sworn to her that he wasn't going anywhere, and that he would always be there for her.

And he would have been. Had it not been for her stupidity.

_Not stupidity. _She told herself. _It's not stupid to want to keep him alive. This is for him. Not you. Get over it._

But she couldn't.

And she never would.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Richard Castle was standing at his stove, whistling.<p>

Alexis came down the stairs with caution at the noise that hadn't been heard in her house for weeks, peering around the corner at the foot of the stairs. "Dad?"

He turned from the stove and threw a grin over his shoulder at her. "Hey, there pumpkin! Sleep well?"

"Um." Alexis furrowed her eyebrows, walking into the kitchen. "Yeah, I guess so."

Castle plopped a plate down in front of her. "Why do you look so confused?"

"Oh…I mean…it's just…" Alexis racked her brain for the right words. "You're so…_happy._"

"And what's not to be happy about?" Castle replied, taking a rather large piece of toast and swallowing it before continuing. "The sun is out. It's a beautiful day. I'm a best-selling author who lives in the Greatest City on Earth, with my wonderful family!" He beamed at her. "Life is good."

"What about Detective Beckett?" Alexis had no trouble delivering the blow. She had gotten plenty of practice by now.

Castle's smile slid down to a quiet one, but maintained its presence. "Sometimes, you have to do what's best for you, and move on. Not every love story is going to work out." He shrugged. "That's just the way life is. And you have to let it go before it tears you up inside." He locked eyes with his daughter. "I've made my peace with it."

Alexis swallowed hard, processing quickly. "But you loved her, and you're never supposed to give up on love, right?"

Castle nodded as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "But true love doesn't give up on you." He said in his same soft voice. "It took me a couple of weeks but now…I know I'm going to be okay. Nikki Heat will make a nice trilogy. I'll move on."

Alexis stared at him, speechless.

He didn't say anything for a moment, and then added, "And I hope she finds whatever it is she's looking for. I hope she has a good life." His smile widened. "Because I'm going to make the most of mine."

"So…so what are you going to do today?" Alexis stammered out, trying to hide her disbelief.

"Hmm." Castle thought for a moment, looking up to the ceiling. "Maybe I'll go out to the Statue of Liberty. Haven't been out there in a while." His face brightened even more. "You want to come? We could make it an outing!"

"Um, no thanks." Alexis shook her head, forcing a smile. "I have school."

"I could call you in."

"I have a calculus test."

"Fine." Castle relented, walking over to the other side of the counter and wrapping his daughter in a hug. "How did you turn out so great? How did I get so lucky?"

"Oh, I'm not really that great." Alexis said, voice laced with the guilt that consumed every inch of her body.

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><p><strong>Review? Please? I'm begging. <strong>

**Also, how awesome was "Rise"? If anyone wants to talk about it, PM me! **


	11. Chapter 11

**I suck at keeping up with stories. I do. And I apologize for it. **

**Things have to get worse before they can get better...**

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or ABC. _**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Later that morning, Alexis stood at the end of the hallway leading to the homicide bullpen in the 12th. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, but it felt like an eternity. She didn't want to do what she had come to do, and yet, she knew she had to. So, very much like the day just two weeks ago, she steeled herself and pushed forward and into the bullpen, forcing her legs to keep moving until she was standing in front of Beckett's desk. "Detective Beckett?"<p>

Beckett looked up and offered up a small but genuine smile. "Oh, hey, Alexis. What's up?"

"I can't do this anymore." Alexis rushed out, wringing the handle on her purse.

Beckett set down her pen and her smile fell. "What do you mean?"

"This!" Alexis shook her head. "Me coming to the precinct everyday, helping with the case, I can't do it anymore, Detective, I just can't. Because my dad, he's trying to get over you, he really is. He's going to the Statue of Liberty, and whistling, and even if it's just a front he's really trying you know? And I can't keep doing this to him." Her voice was tear strangled. "Because he's my dad, and I love him, and if this is the route he wants to take then I have to support him."

Beckett looked down and sighed. "It's okay, Alexis." She told the teen softly. "I understand. You're right, your dad should be happy, and you should too."

Alexis sniffed. "Really?"

"Truly." Beckett nodded. "I don't want you here if you're going to be wracked with guilt and worrying about your dad." She locked eyes with Alexis. "It's okay." she repeated.

Alexis directed her gaze towards the floor. "I really liked you, Detective Beckett." She said in a voice barely above a whisper. "And I really, really wanted you and my dad to work out."

Beckett reached out and squeezed Alexis's hand. "Hey, you're going to be alright, okay? You and your dad are going to get through this, and everything's going to go back to normal. You'll have both forgotten all about me before you know it."

Alexis lifted her piercing blue eyes, a shade lighter with tears, and looked at Beckett. "You always have the best advice." She told her, giving her a watery smile.

"My door's always open. No matter what." Beckett told her genuinely.

Alexis came around the side of Beckett's desk and wrapped the surprised older woman in a large hug.

It took a moment for the shock to wear off, but when it did, Beckett hugged Alexis back, almost absentmindedly stroking the girl's red hair. If she had had to pick a goodbye that would hurt her more than she thought, it never would have been this one. But as she sat there, she realized just how much she had bonded with Alexis over the past 3 years, and how much that bond had intensified with recent events.

Alexis stood up straight, and gave another weak smile. "See you around?" She asked sadly.

"Yeah. See you."

* * *

><p>Detective Kevin Ryan had seen it coming.<p>

As he and his partner had discreetly watched Beckett say her goodbye to Alexis, he had known that there would be a return of Pre-Castle Beckett. The one who had no time for antics, and only for work. The one who had zero toleration when it came to deviating from the book, and couldn't stand tasteless cop humor over a victim. The one who was cold, and overly sarcastic, and kept to herself. The one who trusted her boys, Lanie, and the Captain…but that was about it.

He only had no idea that she would reappear the exact minute she watched the last connection she had to the greatest thing that had ever happened to her walk out the door.

And over the past few days, he had realized that it was worse this time than it had been before Castle ever set foot in the 12th. Now, there was less talking. And when she did speak, it was usually bitter, or cynical.

There had been one time, yesterday, when a softer side of Beckett had come through. Perhaps not as she had been when Castle was around, but softer, for sure.

He and Esposito were gathering up their things after a long day of talking to school kids, trying to find out anything they could about their latest victim (coming up with nothing except the drug lead), and were planning to head to the bar for a beer before heading to their respective homes.

"Guys?" A small voice said just before they reached the doorway, stopping them in their tracks.

Both men turned and looked attentively at Beckett.

"Sorry." She said simply.

Neither of them had to ask what she was talking about. They understood. She was apologizing for snapping at them a few times, and making them walk on eggshells around her, and being so damn _cold _lately.

"Don't worry about it." Esposito told her, giving her a warm smile.

"Yeah. We've got your back." Ryan reminded her.

Beckett nodded once, forcing out a small smile before returning to their paperwork.

"Hey, boss?" Esposito asked.

Beckett looked back up.

"If you want to come grab a drink with us…"

She shook her head. "I'm good." She went back to her file, and then added, "Thanks though."

"Invitation is always extended to you." Ryan said sincerely.

Beckett gave another forced smile, clearly telegraphing that she appreciated it, but didn't want to talk any longer.

"See you in the morning." Ryan said as the two men turned to leave.

In the squad car, both men's thoughts were consumed with Beckett. How should they help? _Could_ they help? It was hard to tell what was helping, and what was pushing her too far. These days, Beckett had the feel of a pressure bomb. One wrong move, and she might explode.

But that didn't mean they didn't want to help.

They had to.

She was their girl.

Ryan let his thoughts drift back to Alexis's plan. It was too harsh now to keep doing. Too cruel. She wouldn't be able to handle it right now. He had realized that as she had peered up at them from her desk, the dark circles under her eyes and every line illuminated by the yellow light from her desk lamp.

She had looked so _tired._

"What are we going to do?" Ryan asked aloud.

"No idea." Esposito replied, confirming Ryan's suspicions that their thoughts were paralleling each other.

They lapsed into silence once more before Ryan asked, "You worried?"

Esposito nodded. "Yeah. I've never seen her like this."

"None of us have." Ryan reminded him.

"Hard to know what to say anymore." Esposito commented.

Now Ryan nodded. "So…what do we do?"

"Try to put Humpty-Dumpty back together again."

There was a pause, and then Ryan allowed a smirk to crawl onto his face. "She'd kick your ass if she knew you just called her Humpty-Dumpty."

Esposito chuckled. "Yeah, yeah she would."

* * *

><p><strong>Review? Pretty, pretty please? <strong>

**My birthday is on Monday. Give me a review as a gift. (;**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks for the lovely birthday wishes, all! I'm touched. **

**More angst. If you continuously read my fics, you've heard me say this before - It's gotta get worse before it can get better. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I in any way affiliated with ABC or Castle**_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Alexis arrived home and shut the door behind her, letting out a long breath. The past few days had been hard. Everything was changing around her, and she didn't like it at all. Now, she had entered the days of no Beckett, an almost quiet version of her father, and a school in mourning after the loss of one of their own. It was like she had entered an alternate universe, and the world she had known and loved was just a dream.<p>

She leaned back against the door for a few moments, eyes closed, before her father's voice floated towards her from the couch.

"You alright, Pumpkin?"

Alexis opened her eyes and swallowed hard, "Yeah," she said unconvincingly.

"You don't sound like it," Castle told her, looking concerned. "What's wrong?"

Alexis dropped her book bag on the floor along with her coat, and walked over to the couch. She plopped down beside her father and cuddled into him, wrapping her arms around him. "Just a rough day at school," she told him, her voice raw. It wasn't necessarily a lie. The detectives walking around asking students questions had put everyone on edge – just as it was meant to.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Castle asked, stroking his daughter's hair.

Alexis shook her head, and fell silent.

Castle didn't press, but was concerned. He laid a kiss on top of Alexis's hair, and hugged her tightly. He had been at this long enough to know that right then was the time for comforting, and not questions.

After a while, Alexis said, "I love you, Daddy, you know that, right?"

"Of course I do, I love you too," Castle leaned back slightly to look at her, brows furrowed. "Alexis, is there something I should know about?"

The teen shook her head and locked eyes with him, her ice blue ones bright with unshed tears. "No," She laid her head back down on Castle's shoulder and managed to get out, "You're my best friend."

"You're mine too, kiddo," Castle said softly, "You're mine too."

* * *

><p>Castle was up entirely too late.<p>

He knew that being up at 4:30 in the morning was beyond the point of reason. It was a time when some people woke up. Not a decent time to still be awake.

But he couldn't help it. Late night to early morning was quickly becoming his favorite part of the day. He could just sit in his study and think. He didn't have to pretend to be "getting over" Beckett, or have to be a functioning member of a family.

But Castle had promised himself he was going to get some sleep tonight.

He had gone through all the motions. He got changed, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and climbed into his bed, now foreign to him. He slid between the cold sheets, got comfortable, and then proceeded to stare at the ceiling of his bedroom.

He tried several times to close his eyes, but to no avail. Sleep didn't come to bring any kind of a respite. Didn't even have the kindness to numb his ever-active brain.

Exhausted in a way he hadn't been before lying down, he got up and padded into his study.

The room late at night had never been unfamiliar to him, for he had spent many a night there over the years, typing away at his latest best seller, but it was even more familiar now. Now, he regarded the room as an old friend. It was there he could face the demons he attempted to keep at bay during the day for his family's benefit. It was there that he could either try to make himself feel better, or sink lower into his misery.

Tonight, Castle chose the latter. Grabbing a leather bound photo album from the shelf, he walked over to his desk and took a seat. The photo album had been an accident, really. It started with a photo. Just one measly picture he had taken of his Kate at a crime scene when they first started working together. He hadn't been able to help himself. It was all so new, and he was so fascinated, and she was so…_pretty._

So, he kept it. Printed it out on photo paper, and kept it at his desk. Not framed, just laying there. He had told his family it was for his novels. That was the first time he had ever used that excuse.

The photos gradually built over the years. A snapshot of them at the Metropolitan American Dance Theater event. A picture of them at his Halloween party. A silly picture he had taken of them on his phone around Christmastime. The collection had grown until there was a neat stack of images on his desk. All for the same reason of course – reference photos for Nikki Heat.

Castle had bought the album just a few months back when the stack had begun to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and spent a rainy, murder-less afternoon putting them all in. He hadn't told her about the album yet, of course. There hadn't really been a need to. He had the real thing. He got to see her almost everyday. Why would he need to look at photos too?

Recently though, he couldn't put it down. He had flipped through it so many times over the past 16 days that he had memorized the order.

27 photos. That was all Castle had left of 3 years of partnership.

Just 27 photos.

He sighed, and closed the album. He had seen them all before, but it took all of his willpower to once more cover up her face. Whenever he looked through the photos, his eyes drank in that face. He heard her laugh. Felt her next to him.

But it wasn't real.

Just like their relationship.

"It was all a lie," Castle whispered hoarsely to the cover of the album.

He felt so damn stupid. Lord knows, Beckett had told him Nikki Heat was more fiction than fact. But he didn't listen. He took it as her just maintaining her oh-so-cool cover. He had heard what he wanted to.

But there had been moments when he had been 100 percent convinced she felt something too. Convinced there was something more to them than partnership. There was a spark. There was friendship.

She had told him she liked having him around.

She lied.

She had told him "always".

She lied.

Castle reopened the photo album in true masochistic fashion, and stared at the first picture. It was his favorite. Beckett was laughing. The sun was shining. Times had been good.

"You're a liar," he told the picture. He shook his head and sighed, and then whispered, "I love you."

He didn't give a shit about Nikki Heat anymore.

He just missed his Kate.

Castle blinked in surprise when his phone chirped beside him, alerting him to a new message on his phone. He glanced at the ID, and furrowed his eyebrows.

_Esposito?_

Quickly opening the message, he read:

_Bro. Grabbing a beer after work tomorrow. You in? _

Castle frowned. The invitation wouldn't have been half as odd if it hadn't been for the time.

_Don't think so. _He typed back. _Thanks. _

He only had to wait a few moments before his phone beeped again.

_You don't really have a choice. On the early shift, so Ryan and I will be off around 5. We go to the bar by the precinct. Be there. _

* * *

><p><strong>What did you like? What didn't you? What is Espo and Ryan's plan? <strong>

**Review!**

**I'll include more advancement of the case in the next chapter. **


	13. Chapter 13

**You all are awesome! End of story. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, ABC, or any of their affiliates. **_

**Language warning: F-Bomb ahead. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>NYPD Homicide Detective Javier Esposito had never really been one for nerves. Even as a small child, he had been the one to charge ahead of everyone else. First to climb the monkey bars. First to ride a bike. First to jump off the swings. And, consequentially, first to get a cast. Even after his childhood, he had been a trailblazer. Ignoring fear, and accepting the challenge. Esposito had proved early on that he wasn't afraid of blood, sweat or mud, and that he thrived on a little confrontation.<p>

It was those characteristics that had carried him through high school, and into the service. His record was exemplary. Spotless. He went where he was told to go, did what he had to do, and served as a damn fine leader. He had a pretty impressive drawer of medals and pins in his desk in his apartment, and had only left the service to accept his next great challenge. Lord knows he had seen things. Done things, even. But he stayed strong. Solid.

And yet, sitting there in the bar next to Ryan, waiting for Castle to show, he got the distinct sense that he was in way over his head.

Ryan shifted uncomfortably on the stool next to him, "Hey, bro?"

Esposito turned his head to look at his partner, one eyebrow raised.

"Is it ah, is it too late to leave?"

Esposito smirked, knowing his friend felt the same way he did. "Yupp."

"But he's not here yet."

"Which is why we're waiting."

"Don't you…I don't know…"

Esposito looked at him seriously, "Spit it out, bro."

"I don't know, man, it just kinda seems like it isn't really any of our business, you know?" Ryan said carefully, "I mean, it's Castle's life, right?"

"We aren't doing this for Castle," Esposito reminded him, "We're doing this for Beckett."

Ryan nodded, taking the reminder of purpose to heart, "And she's our business."

Esposito nodded once too, "Exactly."

As if on cue, Castle chose that moment to walk into the little bar and take a seat next to the duo. He was smiling brightly, and walked with the spring of someone who was excited to see his friends, but his eyes betrayed his wariness. "Hey, fellas…"

Esposito gave a nod, while Ryan offered a simple, "Hey."

"So, you, uh," Castle motioned for a beer, "You wanted to talk?"

"Yeah, about Beckett," Esposito told him, figuring it would be best to simply rip the metaphorical band-aid off the wound.

Immediately, Castle's face dimmed, "I was afraid you'd say that," he said, taking a swig of his beverage.

"Look, man, we know you're mad at her," Ryan began, "But – "

"But nothing," Castle cut him off sharply, "Detective Beckett made her choice. She acted how she acted. Please, don't try and justify that."

"Believe it or not, she had her reasons," Esposito said, matching Castle's level of annoyance.

"Some damn good ones, too," Ryan added.

"I don't care," Castle said carefully, every word bitter, "I don't care why she did it. All I know is that she did. She lied to me. About everything."

"Her name is Kate, Castle," Esposito said gravely, "It's Kate. Say her fucking name. You know it."

Castle grit his teeth, "If that's all you called to talk to me about, I think I should go."

"Don't bother," Esposito said, standing in near unison with Ryan, "But let me say this," he brought his face dangerously close, barely suppressed rage making his dark eyes even darker, "You know things with her aren't always black and white. You know that she's complicated. We all told you that. Hell, _she_ told you that. You stuck around. Made her think you were in it for the long haul. Not our fault you couldn't handle as much as you said you could. And it's not hers either."

"But don't worry," Ryan said, mouth pressed into a thin line, whole body tense, "We've been Beckett's life preservers since long before you ever came along and took the job. Except, there's a key difference. We don't leave. Even when she yells."

The pair started to walk away, making it to the door before Esposito stopped and called, "Oh, by the way, you're buying," and left.

* * *

><p>Katherine Beckett leaned against her desk, staring at the Murder Board.<p>

It was 11 o'clock by that point, and her shift had technically ended hours ago, but she couldn't let herself leave. She had to know. None of it added up. A gang of hard-core druggies goes on a killing spree, and recruits two high school students to help? And now, a girl, who may not have even been connected, was dead too?

In her usual block letters, Beckett wrote, "Why these students?" on the board and circled it. As of that moment, the two juveniles that were connected to the case were sitting in a jail cell, lawyer-ed up, and awaiting trial.

The interrogation sessions with each of them had been fruitless. Sitting there with their parent's lawyer, they had felt big. Tough. Untouchable. They were gang bangers now. And well-represented gang bangers at that. She had even sent Espo and Ryan in after them. It hadn't made a difference. The two boys had each respectively leaned back in their chairs, and dared her to charge them.

Nothing like a couple of cocky teenagers to make your day.

The frustrating part wasn't that she didn't think they would get a conviction. In fact, she had total confidence that they would. They had gathered plenty of evidence that any jury would be a fool not to buy. And while she had been surprised before, she highly doubted that was going to be the case with these two.

No, the frustrating part was that while she had all the evidence in the world that they were involved – and that would be enough for a conviction – she couldn't figure out _how_ they were connected to the gang in the first place. How they had initially gotten involved. The piece that would break everything wide open

Beckett's green eyes roamed the board, reviewing each detail until it was drilled into her mind, looking for an answer to her all-important question. It was then that, true to form, something else popped out at her.

A slow smile crawled across her face, and she strode briskly to her desk phone, snatching it off the receiver and punching in a familiar number, "Yes, hi, this is Detective Beckett. Can you please get Zach Grey from his holding cell and escort him into interrogation? Thank you."

She walked back up to the Murder Board, grabbed the photo of their female victim (one Rebecca Davidson), and headed toward interrogation.

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><p><strong>Please, Review!<strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**You guys rock. Seriously. After I post this I'm going to take a minute to reply to the reviews from the past few days. Sorry I haven't gotten to them sooner. **

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, ABC, or any of their affiliates. _**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Katherine Beckett stood in the observation room, staring through the one-way mirror at her suspect. Once more, he appeared cool and collected. Totally un-phased by the fact that he was in some serious trouble with the law, and un-intimidated by the show of interrogation. Beside him sat his lawyer: a tall, thin, blonde woman by the name of Jessica Walker.<p>

If Castle were there, he would have made a joke about the woman's obviously bored expression, and Beckett would have rolled her eyes. Who knows, she may have even chuckled.

But he wasn't.

And he couldn't be.

So, setting her feelings aside, she exited the observation room, and entered Interrogation 1, holding a photo. As she shut the door behind her, she looked down at it, "She was a pretty girl, Zach," she stated, taking her seat opposite the juvenile.

"What are you talking about?" Zach blurted, earning a disapproving stare from his lawyer.

"Your girlfriend," Beckett flicked the picture, making sure that he couldn't see whom it was of.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Zach said, but his voice wavered and he licked his lips.

"You don't have to answer her," Walker told Zach, then turned to Beckett, "Detective, what is this about? You've already decided to charge my client. Have you finally realized he's innocent?"

Beckett ignored the woman and laid the photo down on the table, rotated it to face Zach, and then slid it across the table to him, "Rebecca Davidson. But, I don't need to tell you that, do I?"

Zach's jaw clenched and he turned away, "I don't know who that is," he whispered.

Beckett leaned forward, elbows resting on top of the table, "That's a lie, Zach, and we both know it,"

"Don't answer her, she's egging you on," Walker instructed.

"She's dead, Zach," Beckett pressed on, once again acting as if the blonde didn't exist, "She's dead. And she's not coming back."

Zach said nothing.

"We found her in the girls' restroom on the south side of the school. Bloody and bruised. Someone really did a number on her," Beckett tapped the photo with her pen, "Someone told us she was into drugs but…I don't know…" she made a face, "Just doesn't feel right to me. What do you think?"

"Zachary, don't answer her," Walker intervened again, "Detective, please get to your point."

"I mean, she didn't seem like the type," Beckett continued, "Straight A's, 4.0 GPA, honors classes," she read off of a sheet in a manila folder, "Somebody would have been trying pretty hard to get this girl off track," she leaned back in her chair, "What a douche."

"It was an accident!" Zach cried out, voice raw with tears, "It was a fucking accident, okay? I just…" tears shone in his dark eyes, and he spoke softer, "I just wanted her to like me. I knew I didn't stand a chance with someone like her, so I offered her a smoke. It was just weed, but I knew she'd say no."

"That's enough, Zachary," Walker warned.

"So, when she did, I called her a chicken," tears tumbled down Zach's cheeks, "I knew a control freak like her wouldn't be able to handle it. She took it as a challenge. We spent the majority of that first night getting high."

"When did it turn to the harder stuff?" Beckett asked.

"I don't know, I don't really remember, it was kind of a progression, you know? I had gotten her hooked. But it was an accident. I swear it was an accident."

"That's enough, Zachary," Walker repeated, stressing each syllable, sounding sharp.

"Is that how you got in with the gang? Just trying to score for your girl?"

Zach nodded, lip quivering.

"What happened, Zach?" Beckett asked softly.

"I didn't mean to," Zach whispered, "I swear to God, I didn't mean to."

"What didn't you mean to do?"

"Don't answer that."

"What didn't you mean to do? What happened?"

"Don't. Answer. That."

"I killed her," Zach whispered again, "I was bringing her some stuff she wanted, we broke into the school at night all the time, and she told me she couldn't do it anymore. Said she wanted to get back on track. I told her that I would support her. We'd get off together. But she said I was in too deep. Started rambling on about murders, and how they were going to be able to tie them to me. Said that meant we had to break it off."

He gave a cold chuckle, "Can you believe that? After everything I'd done for that bitch. _She_ was going to break up with _me_," his eyes looked wild and his breathing grew ragged, "And and and then, she just starts telling me about how I should go to the cops, try to strike a deal. Told me, if she didn't, I would. She tried to leave," tears strangled his voice once more, "And I grabbed her. I just, I grabbed her, and I shook her. I was _so mad_."

"Zachary, _stop._"

He took a deep breath, "She pushed me, and I hit her, and she hit her head on the wall," he put his head in his hands, "There was so much blood," he sobbed out, "So I ditched her in the bathroom, and I ran for it," he lifted his head, "I loved her, Detective."

"Then tell me what she was coming to tell me," Beckett urged.

"I can't."

"Zach, Rebecca died trying to get a message to me," Beckett locked eyes with the teen, "Don't let it have been in vain."

"Don't answer that," Walker snapped again.

"You know," Beckett began as if it were just occurring to her, "If you talk to me about this, we may be able to cut a deal."

Zach hesitated, and then said, "It's about a dude called Hero. I don't know his real name, but I started running for him a couple months ago to get a discount on what I bought. He's the one you're looking for. He's been talking a lot lately about getting rid of the traitors. He's the one that's been ordering the hits. I was just someone who went to warn them. You know, cut it out, or else."

"What did he mean by traitors?" Beckett asked.

"People who had pissed him off in some way. Gone to another dealer, gotten clean, talked to the cops, whatever. Didn't really matter. They were all traitors."

Beckett wrote something down, and then stood up, heading towards the door.

"Wait, what about my deal?" Zach called.

Beckett turned back to face him, "I said _may_ cut a deal. Turns out, I don't really feel like it. As far as I'm concerned, you deserve all the prison time that's coming to you," She opened the door again, then turned back once more, "Oh, I should inform you that we'll be adding 2nd degree murder to your list of charges, along with 3 counts of conspiracy to commit for your 'warnings'," and with that, she left.

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><p>"Victor Callahan," Ryan read off of his computer screen, "AKA, 'Hero'. Been busted for felony assault, carrying without a permit, possession,"<p>

"Obviously," Esposito threw in,

"Selling, and rape," Ryan finished.

"Dude don't look like any gang member I've ever seen," Esposito said, analyzing Callahan's picture over Ryan's shoulder.

"Mmm," Ryan nodded in agreement, brows furrowing, "Guy looks like an accountant."

Beckett finished writing on the Murder Board and circled around behind them, "Oh…wow."

"Right?"

"We know where he is?"

"Last seen around a little no-tell motel just outside the city," Esposito supplied, reading out of a file.

Beckett nodded once, "Call up Narco and tell them we've got a break. Let's see if we can't get a warrant for him and his room."

"You got it," Ryan said, setting to work.

Esposito rolled back to his desk, picked up a phone and punched in a number, "Yo, Jimmy? It's Espo," he locked eyes with Beckett across the bullpen, "We got him."

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><p><strong>Review, review, review!<strong>


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: You all are beyond awesome, you know that? I can't thank you all enough. I'll be replying to all your lovely reviews tomorrow night at some point. **

**Sorry if the format is weird? My Doc Manager is acting up.**

**This story is starting to wrap up….**

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, ABC, or any of their affiliates. **_

**Enjoy!**

The case had all been. It had technically been Narco's collar to begin with, so they were the ones who did the raid, although Beckett had made damn sure she got her spin with Callahan in interrogation.

He hadn't cracked, but once again, Beckett was confident she had enough for a solid conviction.

She finished drawing the final connections from Callahan to the victims on her murder board, and then stood back, going over the case again.

Victor Callahan had been the one to sell to Zachary Grey (and subsequently Rebecca Davidson when she had gotten involved). When Grey had started racking up a bill, Callahan decided it was time for payback. He had offered the kid one of two choices: pay it all back right in the three seconds following that statement, get shot, or start running "errands" for him.

Out of cash and not ready to die, Grey had chosen option C.

It was through that that the second high school boy, Kyle Orton had come into the picture. Orton and Grey had been best friends since pre-school. He had started to notice over the past few months that his friend had become, as he had put it to Beckett in his full confession, "tense, weird, and shaky". According to Orton, Grey was snapping for no reason and coming to school less. Concerned, like any good friend, Orton had asked Grey if he could do anything to relieve him of his obvious burden.

That's when Grey told him everything. The drugs. The girl. The gang. The errands. Everything. Grey begged his friend to help him run just this one errand he didn't have time to get to that day. When Orton heard it was to save his friend's life, he readily agreed.

The address book that Beckett had had Esposito and Ryan running addresses out of had been Grey's. He had had Alexis's address from a group science project a couple of years back where they had all had to meet up at the loft.

Beckett nodded absentmindedly as she thought. It made sense. It all fit. Every last bit of it could be explained; nobody's stories contradicted each other (minus Callahan's "not guilty" plea), but were different in all the right ways. It was neat, but complicated enough that it was real.

The case was finally closed.

Outside, thunder rumbled as rain poured down from the sky with a kind of wicked vengeance and soaked the streets of New York.

Beckett turned her attention outside, watching the drops hit the window. She frowned. The case was done, yes, but it came without the usual feeling of accomplishment that it usually carried. It came without the secret joy of getting one (or a few, in this case) more monster off the streets. It came without the feeling of closure. It came without the pride in having served justice for the victims and their families.

Because it came without Castle.

Numbly, she walked to the window, wrapping her arms protectively around her torso.

So, this was it then? This was life after? Was this how she was always going to feel whenever she didn't have a case to distract herself? So…empty? So cold? Like a huge part of her was missing? She wasn't so sure she could deal with that. She couldn't live the rest of her life without him. No…no…

With renewed confidence (or, more likely, moving off of an internal impulse), she grabbed her coat from her desk and slid into it as she boarded the elevator, then stepped out into the rain, not bothering to duck under awnings, or hail a taxi, or take any of the precautions that she would have, had she been in her right mind.

But that being said, Beckett wasn't in her right mind. She was just moving. Walking. Thoroughly unaware of the rain that coming down on her, hard and fast. She briskly made her way down 82nd street, heading southeast toward Central Park West, planning on taking the 79th street transverse through Central Park to get to the Upper East Side.

To get to Castle.

The walk would have taken her about 30 minutes normally, but through a clipped pace, less people on the streets due the rain, and sheer determination alone, she was standing in front of his door in 20. She raised a shaking hand to it, and rapped quickly, not pausing to think about what she was going to say.

She had had plenty of time to think. It was now or never.

Castle opened the door curiously to his late-night visitor to find Kate Beckett standing in front of him, water dripping off of the ends of her long brown hair, "Beckett?" he asked incredulously.

Beckett gave a little sniff and a quiet, "Hey."

A shadow passed over his face, and he shook his head, beginning to close the door.

"Rick, wait, please! Just hear me out!" Beckett pleaded.

Castle stopped, and cautiously reopened the door, but said nothing else.

"I'm sorry," Beckett croaked, "I'm so, so sorry. Not for what I did, but for what it did to you. I was awful to you, but you have to believe me, I had my reasons. And I know that doesn't change anything, nor should it, but I want you to know that. And I promise, I'll explain everything later if you want me to. What I did was completely shitty, and I know that. And I if you never want to see me again…I understand. I'll respect that. I'll stay away. But first," her voice cracked, "if this is the last time we're ever going to see each other, I want you to know something."

She took a deep breath, "If what you said to me at the precinct is still true…if you used to love me, but don't anymore…I just need you to know that…_I_ love _you._ Present tense," tears welled up in her green eyes, and her voice wavered even more, "And you know I don't say that lightly at all. And I can't do this without you. I just can't. I've tried. When I did what I did I tried to put you behind me but..." she shrugged, "it didn't work. You were everywhere. And I was _miserable_ without you. I never thought I would become so dependent on another person. In fact, I _swore_ I would never let it happen. But you barging in, with zero consideration for the life I had built, and broke down whatever walls I had built to keep people like you out.

"So that's why I'm here, at 11:30 at night, crying, and soaking wet on your doorstep. To selfishly ask you if you could maybe find it in that heart of yours to give me a second chance? Even if you don't want to be with me, come back to the precinct. Can we at the very least, just go back to the way things were? Because I haven't slept since I kicked you out, Rick, I'll be honest. And I know I don't deserve any forgiveness from anyone, but…please?" tears spilled over Beckett's lids and tumbled down her checks, blending in with the rain.

Castle said nothing, but continued to stare at her.

Beckett swallowed hard, "Say something?"

Castle waited just a moment more, his breathing growing quicker before he muttered, "God, I missed you," and closed the gap between them, grabbing her face and kissing her, wrapping her into his arms.

Beckett melted into him for a moment before he broke away, looking down at her.

"I'm not saying I forgive you," Castle told her seriously, "But I'm saying I'm listening."

Beckett opened her mouth to explain, but Castle put a finger to her lips.

"You're soaked," he told her gently, tucking a dripping lock of hair behind her ear, "It's nothing that can't wait until you're in some dry clothes. Come on in."

**Review? **


	16. Chapter 16

**I am so sorry I haven't had time to reply to everyone's fantastic reviews, so let me just say this. I love each and every one of you! This story is nothing without people to read it. I appreciate it so much. Keep being awesome. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, ABC, or any of their affiliates. **_

**Enjoy!**

10 minutes later, Castle re-entered his living room with two cups of coffee and handed one to Beckett, who was seated on his couch, clad in a pair of his sweatpants and one of his hoodies while her clothes tumbled around in the dryer.

He didn't take a seat next to her on the couch like he would have in the past. Instead, he stood to the left of the couch, and leaned against the wall.

Silence lapsed over the pair, neither one of them willing to make the first move.

Finally, Castle had had enough, "Give me a reason," he stated in a kind of deadly calm, the pent up anger from the past two weeks pushing to the forefront of his emotions.

"Excuse me?" Beckett asked.

"Give me a reason," Castle reiterated, not looking at her, "Give me a reason to forgive you. After the hell you put me through, give me one good reason why I should just accept you back," he paused just a moment, "You know, Lawrence Durrel once said, 'there are only three things to be done with a woman. You can love her, suffer for her, or turn her into literature'. It would appear, that I've done all three. So, who's to say that this isn't as far as we're supposed to get? Give me a reason, Kate," he locked eyes with her, "Because I swear, I'm this close to giving up this time."

"I know you are," Beckett told him, staring down into her coffee cup, "But you're my best friend, Rick. And I love you even though I've tried to make myself stop. And I'm not saying that that makes what I did okay, but I'm saying that if you do decide to forgive me, I promise you nothing like this will ever happen again," she glanced up at him and whispered, "I'll do it right this time."

Castle stayed silent for a bit, and then said, "You said you had an explanation?"

Beckett nodded.

"Then explain."

"It was a case," Beckett began, "Narco got me involved after this gang they were chasing had offed a few guys. All my cases. Garden-variety homicides. Nothing I called you in on. They asked me to help out. Maybe look a little deeper into these cases, see what I could come up with," she locked eyes with him again, "They asked _me_. Alone. Without you. So, for the time being, I kept you out. It wasn't my call to make. I was going to tell you anyway though, when I got a break in one of the cases. And it traced back to Alexis's school."

Immediately, Castle stiffened, "Alexis? What does Alexis have to do with all this?"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you," Beckett told him, "I knew I couldn't clue you in on the case if anything even remotely connected to Alexis was involved. Because if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you would do anything to protect your daughter. And I also know that if I limited your access, you would go rogue. Which wasn't an option in this case. These guys…they're dangerous. They would kill you without, without remorse, without hesitation…without regret. I couldn't risk it."

A new look had passed over Castle's face, "You didn't want me getting hurt?"

Beckett nodded again, "So, I had to come up with a plan. I had to figure out a way to get you to stay as far away from the precinct as possible, with no chance of ever coming back. Asking you wasn't going to do it. Telling you wasn't an option either…which left me with hurting you. I knew, Rick. I knew exactly what I had to do to get you to hate me, and I knew that I risked having you feel that way for the rest of your life. But I also knew I didn't have a choice. So I did it. And I would do it again. To protect you. To protect Alexis. To protect Martha…I'd do it again. I'm not sorry for what I did. I'm sorry for how much it hurt you," she looked away, "It hurt me too."

"How do I know you're not just going to kick me out again in a week?" Castle asked, "You kind of have a history of it."

"I know," Beckett said.

"I'm just so mad at you," Castle nearly whispered.

"I can't say I blame you," Beckett conceded.

"Because the thing about loving someone more than you knew was possible, is that when they hurt you, they hurt you good," Castle set his mug down on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch, being sure to place plenty of distance between them, "And you know, Kate, I tried. I tried to make you happy. Every day, I tried my very hardest. And sometimes, it seemed like it was enough. But there was always that doubt in the back of my mind. What happens if she gets tired of me? What happens if she meets someone better? What happens if she moves on? So when you came to my place and said what you did…it was like my worst nightmare."

"It was enough," Beckett told him genuinely, "You've been better to me than I've ever known. And even though I didn't show it, I appreciated it. You were always there for me, you know? For anything. You were my partner, my back-up, my confidant, my anti-depressant, my…my everything. I didn't realize just how much so until you weren't there anymore."

Castle absorbed what she was saying, but set it to the side for now, "What about Alexis? How was she involved?"

Beckett took a deep breath, she had known this one was coming, "One day when I was at the school asking some questions, I heard a scream coming from the girls restroom. I ran in there and found Alexis pointing to a body that she had found in a stall. I asked her the necessary questions, and took her for a cup of coffee to calm her down. I told her everything, and then I took her home. The next thing I know she's up at the precinct threatening to tell you everything if I didn't let her assist on the case," she chuckled a bit at the memory, "When I still said no, she agreed to just be a general pain until I let her on. Along with the blackmail, of course," she looked up at him, a hint of a smile on both of their faces, "She really is your daughter."

"Did you let her on?"

"Not officially," Beckett admitted, "I let her hang around the precinct, but I never took her with me anywhere. I wasn't out to trade one Castle's safety for another. It worked out for a little while though. The boys loved having her around, and she loved being there. She actually offered a few valuable pieces of insight. But...it was clear where her loyalties lied."

Castle furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?"

"A few days ago, she came to me nearly in tears. Told me she couldn't do it anymore, because you were trying to move on, and she wanted to support you. That she loved you, and she had to stick with you. I told her I wouldn't have it any other way."

A look of realization swept over Castle's features, "That explains why she came home so upset the other night."

"Probably," Beckett agreed, "But the case is all wrapped up now. We caught the guys. Narco's back on the case of the gang itself, and the drug ring it's in, but Jimmy told me that from here, it should be easy to pick them off. They've got the hole they need. Which means that, if you do decide to forgive me, there's an empty chair by my desk just waiting for you."

"What would it mean for us? If I forgave you?"

The question caught Beckett off-guard, evidenced by the way she looked down into her mug as if it held an answer, "I want to give us a shot. I'm done running away. Done hiding," she mustered up the strength to make her anxious green eyes meet his cold blue, "I just want to be with you."

The dryer buzzed from the other room, and Castle got up to go get her clothes. He returned a moment later with a neatly folded stack, and handed them to her silently.

Beckett mumbled a, "Thanks", and quickly went to get changed. When she came back out, the coffee cups were gone, and so was Castle. She took a deep breath, and accepted defeat. She had laid it all out on the table, given him her heart, and it still wasn't enough. Silently, she walked to the door. When she had it halfway open, a voice stopped her.

"So, that's it then? You're leaving again?"

Beckett froze, and turned to find Castle standing in a doorway.

"A guy has to pee, and you're already halfway out the door?"

Beckett opened and closed her mouth a few times, feeling foolish, "I assumed you were kicking me out," she said quietly, easing the door shut behind her.

"No," Castle chuckled, "Kate, listen, I…I'm still mad. But…if you want to give this a try then…then we can get through this. I believe that."

A faint smile crept across Beckett's face, "I do too."

"Good," Castle started walking toward her, "But I have one condition."

"Anything."

"If we do this, we do it right. That means if one of us has something to say to the other, we say it. No more games. They're killing us." Castle said seriously.

"Deal." Beckett agreed immediately.

"Good," Castle said again, and then kissed her once more.

Beckett broke the kiss, and wrapped her arms around him. Standing there, hugging him, letting the contact heal both of their wounds.

**Review?**


	17. Chapter 17

**There will be a chapter at the end of this author's note, so bear with me. **

**I'm so so incredibly sorry that I haven't posted in a little under three months (eeeesshh). Let me tell you why. As of late, I've been dealing with anorexia, depression, self-harm, and PTSD. The last thing I ever wanted to do was write, and when I tried, nothing good came out of it. It was the equivalent of cave-man speak. **

**I'm not telling you all this to get pity, but because I value all of you so much, and you've been such loyal, and amazing readers, and you've stuck with this story since May, so you deserve the truth. I hope it's enough, and that you all will join me for the last chapter in this story that should have been given to you so long ago. I was an irresponsible author, and for that, I'm truly sorry. **

**_Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own Castle or ABC._  
><strong>

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Alexis breezed through her early morning routine and came down the steps to the smell of breakfast being cooked. She sat down at the bar in the kitchen, and peered around her dad to see what he was making. "Tell me it's not smoreletts."<p>

"Nope, just the regular old kind. Well, with cheese, of course." Castle grinned as he set one down in front of her.

"Thanks," she chirped, flashing him a smile. He seemed genuinely at peace. Maybe they could get over loosing Beckett…

"Oh! I almost forgot the bacon," Castle snapped his fingers, grabbed a second plate and set it on the counter beside Alexis's.

Alexis's fork froze halfway to her mouth as she looked at the bacon. "Dad…"

"Yeah?" he asked, leaning against the counter.

"Why does this bacon spell out the word 'guilt'?"

"Is that what you see?" Castle asked innocently, putting the acting skills his mother had taught him to work. "I just piled it on the plate. Maybe it's like one of those inkblot things. You know, where everyone sees something different? Because now that I'm looking at it…" he twisted the plate toward him and squinted his eyes. "It kinda looks like an ocean."

"Dad," Alexis said skeptically.

"It's interesting that you should think it says 'guilt' though…do you have anything to feel guilty about?" Castle asked, one eyebrow raised.

_Oh, crap,_ Alexis thought. _He knows. But he can't know, can he? There's no way. Just…just play it cool. You've been acting weird. Tell him it's PMS! That'll shut him up. _"Nope," she said lightly, shrugging her shoulders, amazed at how steady her voice came out.

"You sure?" Castle feigned concern. "Because you've been acting pretty weird lately…I'm worried about you."

Alexis almost broke at that, but instead just smiled and said, "It's girl stuff, Dad."

"Well, what is it? Maybe I can help you."

"It's PMS," Alexis said bluntly.

"Oh." Castle blinked.

"Oh."

"Well…" Castle struggled to come up with words, momentarily thrown off course. She was good. He'd have to change his plan. "Okay, well, that changes things. I'm…I'm glad everything's okay."

"Mmhm," Alexis nodded with a sweet smile.

Castle turned back to the stove.

Alexis let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding.

"So, I talked to Kate last night…" Castle began with his back still to her.

That caught Alexis off-guard. "Oh?"

Castle nodded. "Yeah, she came over for a bit after you went up…we just talked. It was nice."

"What happened to putting her out of your mind?" Alexis asked, throat dry.

"Funny thing about that…it didn't work," Castle locked eyes with her. "And I guess it didn't for her either…you know, it's strange. I almost feel like there was some outside source, nudging us together again."

Alexis froze for a moment, and promptly wolfed down her omelet and then looked at her watch. "Well, would you look at the time," she said, jumping up and grabbing her bag. "I have to get to school."

Castle chuckled. "You still have another hour before school."

"Yeah, I'm going in early to study with Delaney for our big physics test today," she fibbed, hand on the door. "Bye, Dad! Love you!"

"Lex, wait," Castle called out as Alexis was halfway out the door.

_Shoot._ Alexis poked her head back in. "Yeah, Dad?"

"Kate told me everything," he informed her with a soft smile.

Alexis's face fell. "Oh my God, Dad, I'm so, so sorry, I wanted to tell you, believe me, I did, and it was really, really hard not to tell you, but I just thought it was for the best, you know? Like maybe I could help somehow? So, I went down to the station, and I blackmailed a Detective. Oh my God, I blackmailed a Detective. Dad. And I've been lying. A lot. And I feel so dirty about it because I hate lying to you and – " her words tumbled out a mile a minute.

"Alexis," her father cut her off, laughing. "It's okay."

She stopped and stared at him. "It's…what?"

"I said, it's okay," Castle set his coffee cup down on the counter and came around to his daughter, putting her hands on her shoulders. "I'm not mad."

Alexis blinked up at him. "You're not?"

"No!" Castle chuckled incredulously. "Of course not. Kate made sure and tell me what your intentions were. How could I be mad that you wanted to fix everything? Or that you dropped said plan because you wanted to support me? That's not something to get mad over, that's something to celebrate."

Alexis blushed. "I lied to you, and went behind your back…"

"And had this come out a week ago, I might have been angry, but it didn't, and everything's all right," Castle smoothed down a stray hair on Alexis's head. "I actually wanted to say thank you."

Alexis's eyes grew to the size of tennis balls. "Thank you?"

Castle nodded calmly. "If you hadn't meddled…I don't know what I would have done."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, Kate and I…we did a lot of talking last night."

Alexis felt her heart flutter. "And?"

"And, we're not out of the woods yet, but we're going to try and work it out. Together. And a large part of that was your doing," Castle said.

"Really?" Alexis asked, unable to keep the excitement off of her face.

"Really," Castle confirmed. "By the time we got done talking it was about two in the morning, so she's asleep in my bedroom as we speak."

"Dad, that's great!" Alexis grinned and wrapped Castle in a large hug. "I knew you two could work it out."

"Thank you," Castle kissed the top of her head. "Now, go eat the rest of your breakfast."

Alexis took a seat at the bar and happily took a bite of a piece of the "G", and then pointed the strip at Castle. "You guys are lucky you have me, you know."

Castle raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"Sure," Alexis said simply. "Who knows how long you two would have drug it out."

Castle narrowed his eyes at her, a smirk playing on his face. "Hey, we would have gotten there eventually."

"Eventually," Alexis snorted.

"Now you're just being smug."

Alexis grinned and popped the rest of the bacon in her mouth.

Everything was going to be okay.

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><p><strong>The End. <strong>

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><p><strong>Review? <strong>


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